Home Inspection Training

Written by Shirley Parker

Those wishing to enter the home inspection business may find classes available at community colleges or private schools in Canada and the U.S.A. An 80-hour training course for home inspectors may cost $2,000 (US). Or, it may cost quite a bit less depending on locations and circumstances. On the other hand, there are home inspection institutes where, after training, people may go out and set up a franchise as a home inspector.

All good training prepares students to take and pass state licensing examinations. Books and videotapes do a great job with the basics, including the history of the field, so that state or other exams can be passed with an acceptable grade. Yet there's no replacement for hands-on experience. Some courses pay scant attention to history, dealing instead with the kind of problems inspectors encounter all the time.

Old water heaters, electrical panels with wiring that isn't up to code, and ceilings that show water damage may be part of the training milieu on the campus. Wind damaged roofs, furnaces in varying stages of maintenance, and so forth, may all be included in the training facilities. Proper wiring, plumbing, and so forth, is also shown. This kind of training helps newbies deal with real world situations.

Going out in the Field

Some training includes visits to real customers with the training instructor. Students observe the process, and the interaction between the inspector and clients of various ages and backgrounds. Students will hear the questions that get asked and learn to write acceptable reports, which are of critical importance. Their first report will undoubtedly be very different than the report for the final assignment.